The World of Thrift Shopping: Finding Hidden Gems

What does it mean to be thrifty? In today's world, this is a tricky question. For most people, being cheap means paying full price and living within your means. That might be okay for some people, but it won't always work for everyone.
In this post, I'll share how I use the concept of being thrifty to get myself out of debt and save tons of money.

Before I got married, I was an average consumer. I shopped at Target, bought whatever looked interesting and thought nothing about it. I also spent money without a second thought.

One night at dinner, my husband said something that completely changed my life. He said, "Kali, you spend too much money." I realized he was right, and from that moment on, I vowed to start saving money.

Here are five of the best tips that I learned over time, and now share with you:

1. Do not shop just for things you need. Many of us buy things just because they are on sale. While this may save money in the short term, it is a terrible way to live. It's a fact that if you buy a thing just because it is on sale, you are going to keep buying it over and over again. By keeping your credit cards open, it's easy to fall into this trap.

2. Shop with a plan. Instead of looking around randomly for deals, try to do a little homework before you hit the store. Look up sales on online shopping sites and search Google for current deals.

3. Set goals. When setting your goals, it is important to look long-term. This allows you to see the impact your efforts have had on your overall lifestyle.

4. Look at what you already have. This is another effective tip that may seem counterintuitive. When you are shopping, instead of looking for the newest thing, look at what you already have.

5. Try the sale item. If you can, try out an item on sale. Often times, you'll find that the new item isn't any better than the one you were considering buying before.

These five tips should help you begin to adopt a more thrifty mindset and live life on a budget. What tips have you adopted when it comes to living cheaply?